If you're getting them flying into your face or stinging you when you're not messing with their nest, it's very possible you're dealing with Africanized Honey Bees (AFBs). They're basically impossible to tell apart just by looking at them. Aside from genetic testing, you have to do it by behavior. Lots of little differences, but two more obvious ones are:

• They'll pretty much make a nest in any kind of a hole, including in the ground, while European bees like larger cavities in walls or hollow trees.
• They defend their nests much more aggressively and at a greater distance. They'll fly up to your face, and tend to sting much more liberally (European bees rarely sting unless you try to squash them or actively threaten their nest).